Certainly! In computer science, an interrupt is a signal that temporarily halts the CPU's current tasks to deal with an event that requires immediate attention. It's a mechanism that allows the CPU to respond quickly to both internal and external events, such as I/O operations or software requests.

Here's a detailed explanation of how interrupts work:

1. Signal Emission: An interrupt can be issued by hardware or software. For hardware, it could be an I/O device needing to read or write data. For software, it could be an application requiring system resources.
2. Processor Response: When the interrupt signal is received, the processor interrupts its current operations. It saves the state of the current task so it can resume later.
Interrupt Service Routine (ISR): The processor then executes a special function called the ISR, which is designed to handle the specific interrupt.

Types of Interrupts:

Hardware Interrupts: These are generated by hardware devices like keyboards, mice, or network cards. For example, when you press a key on your keyboard, it sends an interrupt signal to the CPU.
Software Interrupts: These are generated by programs when they need the operating system to perform a function. This could be a system call or an exception like a division by zero error.
Prioritization: The operating system prioritizes interrupts and may queue them if multiple interrupts occur at once.
Handling and Resuming: After handling the interrupt, the CPU restores the state of the interrupted task and resumes its execution.
Interrupt Latency: This is the time delay from when an interrupt is generated to when it is processed. Minimizing latency is crucial for real-time systems.